Austin has experienced some significant heat concerns as of late. In some cases people have found they need to adjust and readjust how they do things, to avoid the heat. As stifling as it has been, there are some guidelines to follow that are crucial for everyone. These common sense guidelines will help you to combat and deal with the unyielding temperatures.
There are some items you should also know about your water consumption to help fight dehydration. The first is that if you plan to spend any time outside you need to maintain enough water. The simplest way to know how much is enough is to take your weight and divide by two. This will give you how many ounces of water you need to consume daily as your minimum to remain hydrated. This number should increase on hotter days. When you drink your water you will need to keep in mind the water consumption will only affect you 6 hours after you have ingested it. If you drink an 8oz glass of water at noon, it will become a hydrating factor at 6 pm. So if you have errands to run in the heat you will need to combat it by drinking significant percentages of your recommended daily intake before you consider getting ready for the day.
The heat of the day typically refers to the time between 10 am and 3 pm when the sun is at the highest point in the sky. Doing errands around this time frame will mean less time in the heat and more time in a healthy cool environment. Too much time in unbelievable heat will mean that your body will be working harder to maintain basic body function. This is what leads to stroke and other heat related health issues.
To keep it simple, drink water 6 hours before you walk out the door into the heat, and limit your time in the heat significantly.
Human Water Consumtion Calculate
Austin Water Utility Inspector has cleared the way for environmental housing builders to offer a new option to home owners. It is an environmentally friend toilet, one that both saves on drinking water and helps farmers and gardeners develop some of the best fertilizer available. This amazing option is the composting toilet.
This design uses the alchemy brought by bacteria to transform the human waste into the rich resource rich soil. Some who specialize in this field are referring to it as humanure. This particular design and approval is hailed as the common sense environmental alternative. This mode of waste disposal uses saw dust to flush the waste instead of water. This step saves on or extends the drinking water quality liquid available for washing and drinking. This design also saves on the power required to pump the water, filter, treat and clean the water once it has been used.
As you can see, Austin is stepping up once again as the top green city. Moving toward lowering overall carbon foot print, Austin is enabling home builders and owners to select this new option. As with all forms of sewage facilities, it is regulated by your local city and must be approved on that level. Be sure you check with your local officials regarding regulations.
Austin tops the lists again!
Brookings Institute in Washington, DC conducts their ‘MetroMonitor’ survey every quarter. They released their comparison research for the last quarter of 2008 to the first quarter of 2009. The top 5 cities are all in the South West Region. Naturally, Austin has ranked among the top 5, which also include San Antonio, Houston, and Dallas in Texas and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
The Metro Monitor survey reviews several aspects of a city to narrow the field. They choices include unemployment vs employment opportunities, average wages in the metropolitan area, and housing costs. After receiving Forbes recognition it was obvious that Austin would rank high on all of those criteria.
Austin’s results on the Brookings MetroMonitor were as follows:
Unemployment: remained steady
Job Opportunities: down .05%
Average Wages: Up 1.4%
Housing Costs: Increased 2.4 %
The state of Texas has many cities with positive opportunities, but Austin ranks at the top. Once again, it is obvious to see why Austin is doing so well while so many others are not. This is the place to raise a family, own a busienss, and develop your real estate investment network.
Forbes once again has to recognize the brilliance that is Austin, Texas. After performing a survey of the most affordable place to live, and the most pleasant on your wallet, Austin took first place. This survey evaluated 4 questions across 50 major metropolitan cities and local vicinities. This makes official what Austenites already knew, you get more value for your dollar in Texas than any other part of the country.
According to Forbes the top 4 criteria include: housing opportunities (homes available for rent or sale), unemployment, average salary, cost of living. Of all of them, Austin rated in the top 25. In the area of unemployment Austin came in as number 1. For housing opportunities they rated as 24, the lowest of the 4 options for Austin. Regarding cost of living, of the 50 cities reviewed, Austin landed at 3 with average salary coming in at 20. This creates a wonderful picture of the grandeur of ‘the weird city’ of Austin, Texas.
As often as Forbes does their surveys, Austin continues to surprise them by topping the lists. From green recognition to best bang for your buck, this is the place to live. Moving to Austin is easier than ever, with the right Realtor. When are ready to move, contact the team here to find your place to live in this wonderful city we call Austin.
Of the major metropolitan areas across the United State of American with a potential labor force above 750 thousand, only 1 has gained jobs since 2008. That incredible achievement was reached in Austin, Texas. The National Bureau of Labor released the results comparing Apr. 2008 and Apr. 2009, and for the 3rd month in a row, Austin Topped all others in job gains. The current unemployment rate for Austin, Texas is 5.8 percent down 3.6% from the national average of 9.4 percent. Only the 38 top metropolitan labor force cities were involved in this survey.
The significant job increases for 2009 have been in the industries related to Restaurants, Retail, and Hospitality. These services are provided direct to the public and even through a recession they are seeing modest growth opportunities. Direct impact on Austin’s job market, goods producing industries and technology based industries are down across the region. The jobs in the direct to consumer industries mentioned above, compensate significantly for those jobs lost.
The lowest unemployment rates in Texas are Austin with 5.8 percent and San Antonio with 5.4 percent. After that the next closest job healthy cities are Huston at 6.3 percent and Dallas-Fort Worth with 6.6 percent. Both are still below the national average, as are many smaller metro area’s who are reported at 8 percent and above unemployment. This proves the value that the Austin Metropolitan area offers to their residents and new home owners.
As the baby boomer generation, the whole 78 million individuals are reaching retirement age; their lives are lasting much longer than those alive during the time they were born. This means that when they are at retirement age, the homes they have worked so hard to pay for and own, are close to their heart. Thus it is not the will of the vast majority of the baby boomer generation to leave those homes. This means a remodel of the most specific nature in order, to enable their personal safety, and to meet any special needs that may arise.
There are many certified building specialists who concentrate on improving home floor plans, and creating options that will allow people to stay in those homes beyond that some might otherwise expect. Some simple modifications include lifts, wider doorways, ramps, wider more accommodating showers, lower kitchen counters and appliances for wheelchair access when needed. The final goal of any project like this is to enable independence to the home owner.
This kind of project is always a custom project. It requires a builder to inspect the property and meet with the client about their needs. During the building and remodeling process each item will be reviewed prior to installation, this means that there is no set rate or pricing schedule. Each set up and each home will be laid out as needed and prices will be per project. Don’t forget to ask about green upgrades that can be completed and designed to assist the homeowner with rising expenses related to the home.
When 2009 opened, Barack Obama was inaugurated, and he very quickly passed the Economic stimulus bill. This stimulus package included an 8000 dollar tax credit for new home buyers. This is a fantastic incentive, however it is a down the road repayment, and the department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) believes they can do one better. They have chosen to tweek the plans and adjust it so that the Federal Housing Authority’s approved lender list can provide buyers with the tax credit up front, for use at the close of the house, when the money is most needed.
Several states have already implemented this program on one level or another. Some are allowing for a tax cushion but it will still permit first time home buyers to purchase a home, using less of their own money at closing. This will free up the costs for closeting to be used to furnish the home with needed appliances and furniture. This aspect of the economic stimulus will actually stimulate the economy, and with the active help of HUD it will do so faster than it was originally written to.
HUD has long been known to facilitate productive assistance to home buyers and mortgage assistance to anyone who qualifies. With that in mind there is no doubt that across the country and right here in Austin, new home buyers will be able to facilitate the best possible use of their 8 thousand dollar new home credit very soon.
When someone is looking for a second home, either as a vacation home or an investment property, the motivation and influencing factors are very different than that from a first home buyer. This is more valid in today’s buyers market.
The National Realtors Association (NRA) released a report that showed vacation home sales droped a whopping 30 plus percent in 2008. It appears to have parallel reasons compared to the primary residence market. The sales came within the deeply distressed, deeply discounted home market. The median price of a vacation home fell as far down at 150 thousand dollars across the country. Of those who did settle on the second home purchase, the vast majority planned to use the second home for themselves. This means that people are still looking for second homes and are financing them.
Even with the declining numbers, there are significant pluses to this. The housing market is poised for growth again, especially in the Austin area. This also means as people are looking to sell their home, they have two potential markets to target. Growth options continue to be opened, making the housing market more viable.
Now is the time to buy, and sellers are getting more attention.
Austin Energy has a program developed to help residents, business owners and property investors reach for a greener environment. They offer green education programs, assistance and consulting on all levels of real estate. To further show their commitment to the community as a whole they also offer free home energy improvements to those who qualify.
This program is targeted to the low and moderate income range, and is designed to improve the energy efficiency of the living space. This of course improves the energy costs of the home and enhances the comfort level and lifestyle.
If they need to, Austin Energy will provide and install the needed materials for attic insulation, duct repair and or sealing, plumbing caulking as needed. If need be they will even take time to update the weather stripping around the doors and install solar screens. With these minor changes a home’s energy value can increase dramatically. With Austin Energy’s program, anyone who qualifies can see the benefits rapidly in their bill.
Visit: Austin Energy to see if you qualify.
Does your home need a remodel? Most homes don’t need a full remodel before going on the market, but there are some things that you can do before you market your home that will increase the overall value. Some of these suggestions are simple and easy to do, and will make a big difference when it is time to sell your home.
1 - Paint outside and inside.
Over time the color of paint loses it luster and vibrance. A simple recoat can significantly brighten a home, and clean away any wear and tear that might be visible. Along with the time it takes to lose it color, the color choices may have fallen ‘out of style’ and thus may lessen the value of your home. By reviewing you color selection and updating as needed, you are able to maintain or improve your home’s overall value.
2 - Tile your home
Tile is both durable and easy to maintain. This couple will enable your home to be the best and most comfortable possible for all who will visit, and perhaps to new home buyers. Carpet wears over time, and can diminish a home’s appearance significantly. The change from one to the other can be done easily and far more inexpensively than most people may anticipate. Often it costs the same as or less than laying down new carpet.
3 - Install exterior shutters around the windows.
Although this is a purely cosmetic appeal, it significantly improves your home’s look and feel. Numerous surveys and studies have been done and something as simple as wooden shutters make a home feel more cozy and comfortable, which would make the home both more appealing to new buyers and easy to transition into.
These are only 3 of the most basic options available to you. They can be done with little extra expense. If you would like to improve for a more lasting and complete package, hiring a home inspector would be the best next step. He or she would be able to give you a complete picture and guide you to the best points to focus on.
